I have just finished what is a fairly extraordinary book, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. It is my second Ken Kesey, and I have to say, I am now an enormous fan.
This brings to mind the discussions Cerebus and friends have had about the "great" authors of the twentienth century, and how, as with visual art, this has shifted to the United States. For example, there is Kesey, Faulkner, Roth, DeLillo, Dos Passos, Updike, Auster (although the friends loathe him, but I love him, so tough), Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Bellow... anyone else missing? However, I feel that unlike the art world, what differentiates literature is the shift to post-colonial writers, with some of the most influential and beautiful writers in English not being either British or American, but someone like Coetzee, Rushdie, Naipaul, Achebe, Carey et al.
Kesey I love; I think Sometimes a Great Notion is one of the most wonderful books I have ever read. His description of the inability of two men to ever understand each other was beautiful and stays with me. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was simply terrifying: the combination of authoritarian humanity combined with the gradual grinding down of the "rabbits" by wider society... I think one of the starkest moments is when Mack realises that the patients there are there voluntarily; that his mission to gather other patients to buck the system with him simply won't work. His bewilderment, his thrashing struggle to avoid being brought down, was haunting. So obviously there may be more Kesey and his Canadian goose obsession.
Nonetheless, I feel my next "series," if I ever really have one, is to be U.S. authors in general. So, folks, I need recommendations, soon. I have to get through my new bookclubbook first, and then I'm there. So what's it to be? What, or more importantly, who should I read?
Attempts to Be Less Ill-Read
Be More Ill-Read!
2 comments:
OK, My dear. Lovely post. I think this is an honourable cause. I have yet to get my shit together and read in a more systematic way (outside of my diss, of course). I tend to grab stuff that comes at me from differente sides, no matter what country or author. Although I have been trying to read up on my 20THC Mexicans...I'm currently reading *La Muerte de Artemio Cruz* by Carlos Fuentes and hoping to read *Al filo del agua* by Agustin Yanez. These being two of the most recognied Mexicans in the past 100 yrs. But if you want to read more "Americans," I have two recommendations:
1) Andre Aciman: *Call me by your name.* Not American born, but living in NY and therefore slightly American in my book. This novel is the shit. I am sure it will be a classic one of thse days. If you like stories about men who understand each other, this is your pick.
2) Julia Alvarez: *How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent* or, the one I'm about to read and would be happy to read it jointly if you like, is *Saving the World.* Alvarez y American-Dominican. Ok, so, again she's not canonical and not American, but well worth it if you'd like a break from the masters.
Hope this helps.
Besos.
See, how do I find a term for US folk that isn't "yanks"? interesting q for you all... You see, spanish understands this and I don't have that problem. ugh.
but I must must must read Aciman AND start reading in Spanish again - other than the Harry Potter translations. Which might explain why my vocabulary is so effed up.
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